Best OBS recording settings for League of Legends
Use your graphics card encoder, set rate control to constant quality, and pick a quality level between 16 and 23. Set the keyframe interval to 2. No graphics card encoder? Use x264 with CRF between 16 and 23. Those numbers come from OBS's own Advanced Recording guide, so you're starting from the people who make the software, not a random thumbnail promising "the best settings".
Here's the trap. The easy option in OBS is "Same as stream", which records the same encoded video that goes to your stream. That's fine for a quick test, but your recording can never look better than your stream does. And you're recording to cut clips from later, so you want the file to be the good copy.
The catch is that a separate recording encoder takes extra resources from your computer, so you need to test it once on your own PC. Do that, then forget about it. You've got enough going on without tuning encoders at 11pm.
These are general OBS settings, so they work for any game. League is just where most of our readers are.
Set it up in six steps
- Match your canvas to 1920×1080. Open Settings, then Video. Set Base (Canvas) Resolution and Output (Scaled) Resolution to 1920×1080. TCG Machine works best with 1920×1080, 16:9 recordings, so this keeps everything simple later.
- Switch Output Mode to Advanced. Open Settings, then Output, and change Output Mode to Advanced. Then click the Recording tab.
- Set your recording format. On OBS 30.2 or newer, choose Hybrid MP4. On an older version, choose MKV. Not sure which? Read OBS recording format: MKV or MP4? first, it takes three minutes.
- Pick a separate recording encoder. In the Encoder box, choose your graphics card encoder (NVIDIA NVENC, AMD or Intel Quicksync). No hardware encoder in the list? Choose x264. Leave Rescale Output off, so the file stays at your canvas size.
- Enter the values for your encoder. The list below has every setting, per encoder. Start the quality level at 20, which is the middle of OBS's range. That middle pick is ours, not OBS's, so test it.
- Record 30 seconds and check it. Play a bit of a game, stop the recording, and open the file. Then open View, then Docks, then Stats, and look at the skipped frames line while you record. If the file plays smoothly and the game feels the same, you're set.
What to enter for each encoder
Every encoder gets a keyframe interval of 2 and the High profile.
- NVIDIA NVENC. Rate Control: Constant QP. Constant QP: 16 to 23. Preset: P5. Tuning: High Quality. Multipass Mode: Two Passes (Quarter Resolution). Look-ahead: off. Adaptive Quantization: on. B-frames: 2.
- x264 (CPU). Rate Control: CRF. CRF: 16 to 23. CPU Usage Preset: veryfast. Tune: none.
- AMD. Rate Control: CQP. CQ Level: 16 to 23. Preset: Quality. Max B-frames: 0.
- Intel Quicksync. Rate Control: ICQ. ICQ Quality: 16 to 23. Target Usage: TU4. Latency: normal. B-Frames: 3.
Why a lower number means a bigger file
All four modes work the same way. You pick a quality level instead of a fixed bitrate, and OBS spends as many bits as each moment needs. A quiet lane phase costs little. A five person fight costs a lot.
That's why a lower number gives you higher quality and a larger file. Go to 16 if you have the disk space and want the cleanest recording. Go to 23 if your drive fills up fast.
Still having trouble? Try these
- Game stutters while recording? Raise the quality number a few points, so the encoder works less. OBS's guide says any encoder other than "Same as stream" takes extra resources, so this is the first thing to try.
- Skipped frames in the Stats dock? The encoder can't keep up. Switch from x264 to a hardware encoder if you have one, or raise the quality number.
- No hardware encoder in the list? Your graphics card may not support one, or your drivers are old. Update your drivers first, then check the Encoder box again.
- Files are huge? Raise the quality number a few points and record another 30 seconds to compare. OBS's guide says a lower number means a larger file, so a higher one shrinks it.
- Can't find your recordings? The save folder is the Recording Path in Settings, then Output.
What's in it for your clips
Good settings get you a clean file. Then you've got hours of it, and the ten seconds worth posting are buried somewhere in the middle of a three hour session.
TCG Machine works from any MKV or MP4 recording, so you don't have to change anything about how you record. Drop in the file, and it finds your highlights and turns them into vertical Shorts with titles, descriptions, and thumbnails. You review, change what you want, and approve before anything goes out.
You focus on the creative part, we bring it to life. It's in free beta now, so see how it works, check what it costs, or join the beta to get a key and the download.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best OBS recording settings for 1080p?
Use a hardware encoder with constant quality rate control, a quality level between 16 and 23, a keyframe interval of 2, and the High profile. Those are the values in OBS's own Advanced Recording Settings Guide.
What is the best encoder for recording in OBS?
Your graphics card encoder, if you have one. NVIDIA NVENC, AMD and Intel Quicksync all do the work on your graphics hardware instead of your CPU. If you don't have one, use x264.
Should I use NVENC or x264 for recording?
NVENC, if you have an NVIDIA card. It does the encoding on the graphics card, which leaves your CPU free for the game. Use x264 only when no hardware encoder is available.
What CQP value should I use in OBS?
Between 16 and 23, and start at 20. OBS's guide gives the 16 to 23 range. Lower numbers mean higher quality and bigger files.
What CRF should I use for x264 recording in OBS?
Between 16 and 23. A lower CRF gives higher quality and a larger file, so start at 20 and adjust after a test recording.
What NVENC preset should I use for recording?
P5, with tuning set to High Quality. That's what OBS's Advanced Recording Settings Guide lists for NVENC.
What keyframe interval should I use for recording in OBS?
- OBS's guide uses a keyframe interval of 2 for NVENC, x264, AMD and Quicksync.
Should I use CBR or CQP for recording in OBS?
CQP, or the equivalent constant quality mode for your encoder. OBS's recording guide uses constant quality settings (Constant QP, CRF, CQP and ICQ), not a fixed bitrate.
What does "Same as stream" do in OBS recording?
It records the same encoded video that goes to your stream, so it uses no extra resources. The downside is that your recording can only be as good as your stream.
Why use a separate encoder for recording?
So your recording can have better quality than your stream. A separate encoder lets you set the quality level, preset and keyframe interval yourself. OBS's guide notes it takes extra resources from your computer.
How do I find the Recording tab in OBS?
Open Settings, then Output, and change Output Mode to Advanced. The Recording tab appears next to the Streaming tab.
What resolution should I record at in OBS?
1920×1080 is the safe pick. Set both Base (Canvas) Resolution and Output (Scaled) Resolution to 1920×1080 in Settings, then Video.
Should I turn on Rescale Output when recording?
Not unless you have a reason. Leaving it off keeps the recording at your canvas size, which is one less thing to go wrong.
How can I tell if my recording settings are too heavy?
Open View, then Docks, then Stats while you record. If skipped frames climb, or your game stutters, raise the quality number or switch to a hardware encoder.
What recording format should I use in OBS?
Hybrid MP4 on OBS 30.2 or newer, and MKV on older versions. Our recording format guide covers how to switch.
Does TCG Machine work with OBS recordings?
Yes. TCG Machine works from any raw MKV or MP4 recording, so there's nothing to convert before you use it.
What size should I record at for TCG Machine?
1920×1080, 16:9 works best. Other 16:9 sizes are supported, and the app warns you if on screen detection may be less reliable.
Is TCG Machine out yet?
Yes, as a free beta, and it's open now: join the beta, confirm your email, and you'll get a key and the download link while places last.